What energy (joule) air riffle do I need or a clean kill to a rabbit?
I know they can kill people, (I was an ED sister in a previous life)
We have a field abound with rabbits and I am looking for a way to dispatch them without the stress?

ps im not sure about silencers in france but the gun shop/club can tell you .they are a good idea as more than one bunny can be taken and the neighbors wont jump.

always make sure of a safe backstop

thanks for the advice. we were thinking of an air riffle rather than .22 as we don't need to do any paperwork.
These are home grown Bunnies, not wild, I have dispatched them before using a blow to the back of the neck/head. I learned to shoot in the TA and am a pretty good shot but don't want to just wing them, we wanted a clean/ distant (ish) kill. The field they live in is not that large, about 50m.
we have seen some airguns and yes, silencers to keep the NIMBY's at bay.
would a <20 joule weapon do the job in your opinion?

we were thinking of an air riffle rather than .22 as we don't need to do any paperwork.

Don't forget that although you don't need paperwork for an air rifle, it's illegal to hunt with one in France, and if they prosecute anyone for it, it'll be the rosbifs.

Having said that, a 12-foot pound rifle is considered adequate for taking out rabbits from up to around 30 yards range in the UK.

In the UK it's illegal for a pellet to leave your boundary, and I presume similar applies in France. If the ground outside your 50m field isn't yours you'll need to ensure that the pellets can't pass into it, which ties into dpack's advice on ensuring you have a good backstop.

I killed one with a priest yesterday and it was very low-stress all round, once I'd caught the damned thing with with my great big new rabbit catching net.

why can i hear the craggy island music?

I killed the last lot with my 'killing stick' but the gun idea is a wheeze of himself
My Dad may have made a comment or two about leaving me to do the deed! and some game keeper chap he met suggested we shoot them for a quick dispatch.
I will keep all you have said in mind. thank you for taking the time.

Just a quick update.
We went to visit the nice man at the local gun shop.
We have a 16 joule air riffle and some pellets.
He is also the head honcho for the Mayenne Chase and assured us we can legitimately use it to dispatch our own rabbits.
One turned up where it shouldn't today so we had roasted/ barbequed bunny for tea.
I must admit the whole thing went really well. (for us!) the rabbit didn't spend its last moments in terror and i didn't have to spend half and hour trying to catch the little burger!